A pre-frontal trough ahead of strong cold front and surface low over New York state interacted with a hot and humid airmass on the afternoon of August 26th. A line of thunderstorms developed across Vermont and quickly moved across New Hampshire from west to east during the early to mid afternoon hours.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS GYX wrote it up.
A pre-frontal trough ahead of strong cold front and surface low over New York state interacted with a hot and humid airmass on the afternoon of August 26th. A line of thunderstorms developed across Vermont and quickly moved across New Hampshire from west to east during the early to mid afternoon hours. The line of storms reached York and Oxford County by mid-afternoon. The storms were weakening before a storm re-strengthened over Portland and the Marine waters causing significant damage on Peaks Island waterfront area.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Gray, ME wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 26, 2:26 PM EST, 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Gray ME 326 PM EDT Fri Aug 26 2022 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front will cross the area with showers and thunderstorms tonight. High pressure will usher in a cooler and drier airmass for Saturday. Look for continued comfortable conditions on Sunday with a slight increase in temperatures and humidity as southerly flow develops. Summer heat and humidity returns for early next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... High Impact Weather Potential: Severe thunderstorms through this evening...then patchy dense fog overnight. Pattern: Composite analysis reveals surface low pressure system across upstate New York with a trailing surface cold front east of the eastern Great Lakes. Most organized area of showers and thunderstorms is currently overhead along a pre-frontal trough...with more disorganized activity further west ahead of the cold front. Near term forecast concerns center along the leading round of convection with attention turning to fog potential overnight as convection weakens. Through this evening: Band of showers and storms will shortly begin weakening as it encounters the airmass that did not mix out this afternoon. Still...elevated instability will sustain the activity for a time. Next round of storms will be running out of time from an instability perspective as they near the CWA...but thunder is certainly possible towards 7-8pm as this round reaches the CT Valley. Tonight: Diminishing shower activity will come to an end as the surface cold front crosses the region overnight. Given the frontal timing...there will not be that strong of a dry air push overnight and therefore expect patchy fog to develop across the area overnight. Lows will remain relatively mild given the frontal timing as well...remaining in the 60s along the coastal plain and the 50s further north. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... High Impact Weather Potential: Minimal. Pattern: Surface cold front will be well south and east of the area by daybreak Saturday with a substantial area of high pressure centered over the eastern Great Lakes. This high will build towards the region...cresting over the area Saturday night. This will bring a quiet period of weather to the region with a much drier and somewhat cooler airmass arriving. Saturday: PWATs continue to fall in advance of building high pressure...falling towards 0.5" through the day. Model soundings show residual moisture beneath a rapidly building subsidence inversion with some surface-based instability indicative that we/ll have a decent Cu field pop up despite downslope northerly flow. Thus...expect morning cloudiness to be greatest in the upslope regime north of the Whites...with more cloudiness popping up to the south and east as the day goes on. T8s will continue to slowly fall in the cold advection regime with afternoon values +8 to +12C from north to south. With these readings...most spots will see highs in the 70s...though a few 80F readings will be possible in the Merrimack Valley in southern NH. Saturday Night: High pressure overhead will ensure a quiet night...but some questions remain with how much cloudiness will continue through the night given trapped moisture beneath the subsidence inversion with boundary layer winds turning onshore. For this reason...will keep a decent amount of cloudiness south of the mountains and will stick closer to the guidance consensus for lows...with upper 40s in the mountains and middle/upper 50s to the south. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Upper level ridge will build over the East Coast early next week providing another dose of summer heat and humidity. An upper level trough north of the Great Lakes will dig south and into the northeast mid next week. This feature will driving a cold front through the area late Wednesday supporting more seasonable weather late in the forecast period. At the surface, southerly flow will develop increasing humidity beginning Sunday and continuing into early next week. The onshore flow will favor cooler temperatures along the coast, and potential for fog as dewpoints climb to around 70 by Tuesday. H850 temps will warm to around 16C Monday and Tuesday, which will support temps in the upper 80s to lower 90s. Humidity and PWATs will climb under deep SW flow in between a Bermuda high and the next upper-level trough. The increasing moisture and shifting of the ridge further offshore will support scattered shower activity Monday, with increasing coverage on Tuesday. Upper level support becomes more favorable for widespread showers and possible thunderstorms on Wednesday as the heights fall ahead of the approaching trough. Will need to monitor the progressing of this system for a more drawn out rainmaker midweek. Currently the timing of the system and the associated surface front vary by about 24 hrs. Current forecast clears out the rain by Thursday and ushers in more seasonable cooler/drier air for late week. && .AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Short Term... Showers and thunderstorms are crossing the region attm with brief IFR restrictions with improvement to VFR likely into the evening /though a second round of showers and embedded thunderstorms may impact HIE/LEB around 00Z. Overnight... development of fog and low stratus is expected for most terminals with IFR restrictions. MVFR CIGS may persist for a time through the morning PSM-PWM-AUG-RKD with conditions improving to VFR during the morning and VFR /outside of valley fog at HIE-LEB/ Saturday night. Light winds are expected through tonight before becoming northerly around 10kts on Saturday before going calm/light-variable Saturday night. Long Term...Tempo restrictions in valley fog at KHIE/KLEB, otherwise VFR with light/variable winds. && .MARINE... Short Term...A cold front crosses the waters tonight with high pressure building towards the region on Saturday. Current expectation is for winds and waves to both remain below SCA levels through the short term period. Only caveat to this will be this evening in localized gusts with any thunderstorms that cross the waters. Long Term...Winds will continue to veer becoming SW'rly at about 10 kts while seas linger between 1-3 ft into early next week. Look for building seas as the onshore flow strengthens ahead of the approaching trough. && .GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...None. NH...None. MARINE...None. && Arnott/Jamison
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Gray ME 327 PM EDT Fri Aug 26 2022 MEZ018-019-023-024-033-NHZ003>015-271930- Interior York-Central Interior Cumberland-Coastal York- Coastal Cumberland-Interior Cumberland Highlands-Northern Grafton- Northern Carroll-Southern Grafton-Southern Carroll-Sullivan- Merrimack-Belknap-Strafford-Cheshire-Eastern Hillsborough- Interior Rockingham-Coastal Rockingham- Western And Central Hillsborough- 327 PM EDT Fri Aug 26 2022 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 523 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Maine, southwest Maine, western Maine, New Hampshire, central New Hampshire, northern New Hampshire and southern New Hampshire. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Severe Thunderstorm Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures. MEZ007>009-012>014-020>022-025>028-NHZ001-002-271930- Northern Oxford-Northern Franklin-Central Somerset-Southern Oxford- Southern Franklin-Southern Somerset-Androscoggin-Kennebec- Interior Waldo-Sagadahoc-Lincoln-Knox-Coastal Waldo-Northern Coos- Southern Coos- 327 PM EDT Fri Aug 26 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for south central Maine, southwest Maine, west central Maine, western Maine and northern New Hampshire. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Showers and thunderstorms will impact the region through this evening. Some of these storms may produce gusty winds and moderate to heavy rainfall. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures. ANZ150>154-271930- Coastal Waters from Stonington, ME to Port Clyde, ME out 25 NM- Penobscot Bay- Coastal Waters from Port Clyde, ME to Cape Elizabeth, ME out 25 NM- Casco Bay- Coastal Waters from Cape Elizabeth, ME to Merrimack River, MA out 25 NM- 327 PM EDT Fri Aug 26 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Atlantic coastal waters. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Thunderstorms could move over the waters late this afternoon and this evening with gusty winds and reduced visibility in heavy rain. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
319 PM EDT FRI AUG 26 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0315 PM HAIL 3 NE WOLFEBORO 43.62N 71.17W
08/26/2022 M1.75 INCH CARROLL NH PUBLIC
1.75 INCH MEASURED HAIL NORTH OF WOLFEBORO
AND LAKE WENTWORTH ON HIGHWAY 28. DENTED
VEHICLE HOOD. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
323 PM EDT FRI AUG 26 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0210 PM HAIL 3 S ALSTEAD 43.11N 72.36W
08/26/2022 E1.25 INCH CHESHIRE NH AMATEUR RADIO
REPORTED BY AMATEUR RADIO: REPORT OF HALF
DOLLAR SIZED HAIL DAMAGING A VEHICLE ON
HOMESTEAD ROAD SOUTH OF ALSTEAD. TIME
ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
330 PM EDT FRI AUG 26 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0316 PM HAIL EAST WAKEFIELD 43.63N 70.98W
08/26/2022 M1.75 INCH CARROLL NH TRAINED SPOTTER
REPORTED BY WEATHER SPOTTER: GOLFBALL-SIZE
HAIL CURRENTLY FALLING ON E. WAKEFIELD. HAIL
ACCUMULATING IN PLACES. TIME ESTIMATED BY
RADAR.
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
336 PM EDT FRI AUG 26 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0248 PM HAIL 2 WSW BRIDGEWATER 43.62N 71.27W
08/26/2022 M2.00 INCH CARROLL NH AMATEUR RADIO
REPORTED BY AMATEUR RADIO: SOCIAL MEDIA
PHOTO SHOWING TWO-INCH HAIL NEAR MIRROR
LAKE. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
348 PM EDT FRI AUG 26 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0332 PM HAIL 2 ENE BARNSTEAD 43.35N 71.27W
08/26/2022 M1.25 INCH BELKNAP NH PUBLIC
OBSERVED 1.25 INCH HAIL IN BARNSTEAD. TIME
ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
352 PM EDT FRI AUG 26 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0332 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 NE ALTON 43.48N 71.18W
08/26/2022 STRAFFORD NH TRAINED SPOTTER
REPORTED BY WEATHER SPOTTER: ST144 REPORTED
TREES AND BRANCHES DOWN AND BLOCKING
MERRYMEETING RD. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
JPThe Portland,ME radar (KGYX), 38 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:54 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Gusty outflow winds associated with a severe thunderstorms downed 2 trees onto River Rd. in Hollis.
Gusty outflow winds associated with a severe thunderstorm downed multiple small trees around the city of Portland.
Gusty outflow winds associated with a severe thunderstorm downed two 20 diameter trees onto a road in Cumberland.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maine in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, August 2022
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1055545, 1055546, 1055544.